Recreational Fishing Regulations for Gulf of Mexico Federal Waters
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Recreational Fishing Regulations for Gulf of Mexico Federal Waters For Species Managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council January 2019 Photo: Emily Muehlstein Photo: Dylan Hubbard Photo: Sea Grant This publication was prepared for general informational purposes and has no legal force or effect. Fishing regulations are subject to change. Check for updates by visiting www.gulfcouncil.org, or the Fish Rules regulations app. Download the Fish Rules regulations app - available for both iPhone and Android. IPhone Android A publication of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA15NMF4410011. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council 4107 W. Spruce Street Suite 200 Tampa, Florida 33607 888-833-1844/813-348-1630 Table of Contents About Us 2 Recreational Regulations Reef Fish - Snappers 3 Reef Fish - Other 5 Hogfish Management Boundary Map 7 Reef Fish - Groupers 8 1 | Shallow-water Grouper Closure Map 10 Shallow-water Grouper Closure Coordinates 11 Coastal Migratory Pelagics 12 Shellfish and Other Species 13 Coral and Other Species 13 Highly Migratory Species 14 Recreational Permit Requirements 15 Additional Rules 16 Measurement Guidelines 17 Marine Sanctuarys and Area Closures 18 Gulf of Mexico Federal Waters 34 Important Phone Numbers 35 Regulation Changes and Updates 37 About the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional Fishery Manage- ment Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The Council consists of 17 voting members: the Southeast Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, the directors of the five Gulf state marine resource management agencies, and 11 members who are nominated by the state governors and appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. | 2 There are also four non-voting members representing the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of State, and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. When reviewing potential rule changes, the Council draws upon the services of knowledgeable people from other state and federal agencies, universities, and the public to balance competing interests and achieve the greatest overall benefit to the nation. Scoping workshops and public hearings are held throughout the Gulf coast to collect your input. Public comment is considered by the Council before it takes final action on proposed rule changes. The Council also collects comments on proposed changes through virtual meetings and online comment forms. Public testimony is heard during each Council meeting. After the Council takes final acton, proposed rule changes are submitted to National Marine Fisheries Service for further review and approval before implementation by the Secretary of Commerce. Recreational Fishing Regulations Reef Fish - Snappers 3 | Red Snapper Mutton Snapper Red Snapper Photo: Dylan Hubbard Photo: Rosemary White Photo: Scott Hickman | 4 Reef Fish - Other 5 | G o l d e n T i l e fi s h Blueline Tilefish Gray Triggerfish Photo: NOAA Photo: NOAA, Teacher at Sea Photo: NOAA, Teacher at Sea NOTES: • Pending implementation, for-hire vessel operators will have to make a trip declaration (hail out) prior to departing. Operators will also have to submit electronic fishing reports for each trip before offloading fish. Each vessel will need to be equipped with hardware that, at minimum, arcives GPS position. • For-hire captains and crew are prohibited from retaining bag limits of any grouper, greater amberjack, or red snapper while under charter. • Federally permitted for-hire reef fish vessels must comply with the more restrictive of federal or state reef fish regulations when fishing for reef fish in state waters. • When fishing in state waters off Monroe County, FL, South Atlantic regulations apply. | 6 Northern Gulf Coast Photo: NOAA Hogfish Boundary Map 7 | Note: Hogfish - the Gulf stock is defined as the waters north of the line extending west from Cape Sable, Florida (29° 09’ N). South of that demarcation is considered within the South Atlantic jurisdiction and is subject to South Atlantic regulations. Visit http://www.safmc.net/ Reef Fish - Groupers | 8 Scamp Photo: NOAA 9 | Scamp grouper Snowy grouper Yellowedge grouper Photo: Gavin Redinger Photo: Dylan Hubbard Photo: Dylan Hubbard Shallow-water Grouper Closure (Map of the 20-fathom break) Title 50 CFR: Wildlife and Fisheries - PART 622 FISHERIES OF THE CARIBBEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND SOUTH ATLANTIC Subpart B – Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico - §622.34 Seasonal and area closures designed to protect Gulf reef fish (d) Seasonal closure of the recreational sector for shallow-water grouper (SWG). The recreational sector for SWG, in or from the Gulf EEZ, is closed each year from February 1 through March 31, in the portion of the Gulf EEZ seaward of rhumb lines connecting, in order, the points in the following table. During the closure, the bag and possession limit for SWG in or from the Gulf EEZ seaward of the following rhumb lines is zero. | 10 Coordinates for the Shallow-water Grouper Closure (20-fathom break) Position Latitude Longitude 1 24°48’00” N 82°48’00”W 2 25°07’30” N 82°34’00”W 3 26°26’00” N 82°59’00”W 4 27°30’ 00”N 83°21’30”W 5 28°10’ 00”N 83°45’00”W 6 28°11’ 00”N 84°00’00”W 7 28°11’ 00”N 84°07’00”W 8 28°26’ 36”N 84°24’48”W 9 28°42’ 30”N 84°24’48”W 10 29°05’ 00”N 84°47’00”W 11 29°02’ 30”N 85°09’00”W 12 29°21’00” N 85°30’00”W 13 29°27’54” N 85°51’42”W 14 29°45’ 48”N 85°51’00”W 15 30°05’ 36”N 86°18’30”W 11 | 16 30°07’ 30”N 86°56’30”W 17 29°43’ 54”N 87°33’48”W 18 29°43’ 00”N 88°18’30”W 19 At State/EEZ line, follow State/EEZ line to 88°56’00”W point 20 20 At State/EEZ line 89°28’24”W 21 29°02’ 00”N 89°45’30”W 22 28°32’ 42”N 90°21’30”W 23 28°24’48” N 90°52’42”W 24 28°42’ 18”N 92°14’24”W 25 28°34’ 12”N 92°30’24”W 26 28°27’36” N 95°00’00”W 27 28°20’ 00”N 95°06’54”W 28 28°02’ 12”N 96°11’06”W 29 27°46’30” N 96°38’06”W 30 27°15’ 00”N 97°00’00”W 31 26°45’30”N 97°01’24”W 32 At EEZ 96°51’00”W Cobia Spanish mackerel Photo: Ed Walker King mackerel Photo: Carrie Simmons Photo: Dylan Hubbard Coastal Migratory Pelagics | 12 Note: The 2-day bag limit allowance for qualified charter vessels and headboats on a trip in excess of 24 hours does not apply to cobia. Shellfish and Other Species 13 | Spiny lobster and Red grouper Red Drum Spiny Lobster Photo: W.T. Pearson Photo: Dylan Hubbard Photo: Emily Muehlstein Coral and Other Species Species Notes Live Rock Harvest and possession of live rock is prohibited, except for permitted aquaculture op- erations. Call 727-824-5763. Other Marine Life Marine life organisms from the EEZ harvested or possessed by Florida residents or landed Organisms in Florida are subject to Florida’s Marine Life Rule. Contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission for more information at 850-487-3122. Highly Migratory Species Tunas For Highly Migratory Species Compliance Guide Visit: Billfish https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/ atlantic-highly-migratory-species-fishery-compliance-guides Swordfish Contact the HMS Division of NOAA Fisheries for more information: 301-427-8503 Sharks | 14 Shark Blackfin Tuna Photo: SERO, NOAA Photo: Glen Balinger Billfish: Blue Marlin Billfish: Sailfish Photo: NOAA Photo: Myron Fischer Recreational Permit Requirements Permit Required for: Charter vessel/headboat coastal pelagics permit Charter vessel and headboats fishing for king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and cobia. NOTE: Issuance of new permits is under a moratorium effective 6/16/2003. Charter vessel/headboat reef fish permit Charter vessels and headboats fishing for snappers, groupers, amberjack, tilefish, hogfish, and gray triggerfish. NOTE: Issuance of new permits is under a moratorium effective 6/16/2003. Highly migratory species (HMS) charter/headboat All charter or headboats that fish for or possess highly permit migratory species. HMS recreational angling permit Owners of vessels used to fish recreationally for Atlantic HMS - Atlantic tunas (other than blackfin), billfish, sharks, and swordfish. 15 | Recreational Anglers Private Recreational Anglers need a saltwater recreational fishing license or registration from any state or U.S. Territory, except Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Visit the National Saltwater Angler Registry to to determine if registration is required. Photo: NOAA/NMFS/William Folsom Photo: Emily Muehlstein Additional Rules Two-Day Bag Limit Persons on qualified charter vessels or headboats with two captains for trips in excess of 24 hours may possess a 2-day bag limit of reef fish, king mackerel, and Spanish mack- erel. One-day bag limits apply to all other species and trips, regardless of length. Head & Fins Attached All fish, except for bait and oceanic migratory species, taken from federal waters must have heads and fins intact through landing. Up to 1.5 pounds of legal finfish per person is exempt from this rule for personal consumption at sea, provided the vessel is equipped to cook such finfish.